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Itinerary

Day 1 Phoenix – Santa Ana - Hermosillo – San Carlos (2 Nights)
This morning, meet with your Travel Director and travelling companions between 7 - 8 a.m. in the lobby of the Hilton Garden Inn, Phoenix Airport North. Due to your early morning (8 a.m.) departure, pre-trip overnights are available at the hotel. Begin your adventure by crossing the U.S. Mexico border and see the great Sonoran desert open up before you. Keep an eye out for giant saguaro cacti-one of the few places they grow wild. After stopping for lunch in the small town of Santa Ana, travel on to Hermosillo to see the lovely colonial cathedral and the Government Palace, its walls bedecked with murals depicting the history of the Sonoran region. Arrive in San Carlos where the desert meets the glittering Sea of Cortez. Relax and settle in at your waterfront resort on the beautiful Sea of Cortez. (Lunch)

Day 2 San Carlos Sightseeing
Board your private boat for a scenic cruise on the Sea of Cortez and keep a lookout for dolphins, seals, and exotic sea birds, such as the blue-footed booby and the great blue heron. Afterward, take a scenic drive through stunning desert gardens, home to massive cacti and stop at Mirador EsceÌ?nico, rated by National Geographic as one of the "Top 10 Ocean Views." This afternoon is free for you to relax or explore the marina and shops. (Continental Breakfast)

Day 3 San Carlos – Alamos
This morning, visit the first cultured pearl farm in the Americas and learn all about pearl oyster farming, grading and quality selection. Next, travel south through rich farmlands to the foothills of the Sierra Madre and the quaint town of Alamos. A living museum, the city's cobblestone streets are lined with beautiful Spanish colonial buildings. This evening, enjoy the local flavours of Mexico while dining with your travelling companions in a traditional setting. (Continental Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner)

Day 4 Alamos – El Fuerte
Enjoy an Iconic Breakfast in a 200 year old restored, colonial house where Chef Teresita Shannon shares her love of the region through the food and stories she tells. After, stroll the streets of Alamos as your Local Specialist brings the town's history to life. Visit some of the restored mansions built when Alamos' silver mines were among the richest in the world. After lunch, journey farther into the Sierra Madre to the town of El Fuerte. Tonight, experience ancient dances from the Yaquis. See the popular deer dance and other traditional Mexican folk dances. (Iconic Breakfast, Lunch)

Day 5 El Fuerte – Copper Canyon (2 Nights)
Mexico's Copper Canyon-four times as large as the Grand Canyon of Arizona-looms large in the culture and imagination of this proud country. Board your rail car and start your journey aboard the Train in the Sky, "El Chepe," travelling from sea level to 7,500 feet (2,285 metres) in less than 150 miles (240 kilometres), passing through tunnels and over soaring bridges. Engineers and labourers spent nearly 100 years laying tracks into this rugged terrain, and now the spectacular views make it one of the world's most exciting train journeys. Pass alongside the jagged Barranca Septentrion and Urique Canyon as you travel into the heart of Copper Canyon. Disembark at your hotel, situated right on the rim of the canyon. (Continental Breakfast)

Day 6 Copper Canyon Sightseeing
Spend the entire day exploring this dramatic area, one of the greatest natural treasures of North America. Learn about the geological forces that created the seven individual canyons, collectively known as the Copper Canyon or Barrancas del Cobre. Meet the local Tarahumara Indians, a semi-nomadic tribe whose ancestors have lived in the canyon's caves for thousands of years and view the tribe's arts and crafts. An optional gondola ride down the canyon is available this afternoon. (Continental Breakfast)

Day 7 Copper Canyon – Guerrero – Casas Grandes
Travel to the logging village of Creel via Oteros Canyon to the village of Guerrero, where a stop is made for lunch. The area is rich in culinary resources and apple orchards. Then, travel on to the bustling city of Nuevo Casas Grandes. This evening, see local artisans who have adapted ancient traditions into a modern style called Mata Ortiz with a Local Specialist. Watch master craftsmen design fire pots and the techniques learned over several generations. (Continental Breakfast, Lunch)

Day 8 Casas Grandes – Paquime – Phoenix
Today, visit the UNESCO World Heritage Site of Paquime, a great trading centre in the 14th and 15th centuries before the Spanish conquest of Mexico. See ceremonial mounds, the House of the Cross (believed to be a temple and observatory) and the House of the Serpent, where animals were raised. Continue across the Chihuahua Desert into the U.S. arriving back in Phoenix at approximately 6:30 p.m. depending on border crossing and traffic conditions. Due to your late arrival, overnights are available at the Hilton Garden Inn, Phoenix Airport. (Continental Breakfast, Lunch)

All This Included

Four times bigger than the Grand Canyon, Mexico's spectacular Copper Canyon is the backdrop for part of this extraordinary trip, as you travel over soaring bridges on the Train in the Sky. Cross the Sonoran Desert and less travelled regions of Mexico as you learn about cultured pearl farming, silver mining and the beautiful art of Mata Ortiz pottery.

Option to pre-pay gratuities for Travel Director and Driver, $89 per person.

Guaranteed Room Share is not available on this trip.

This spectacular region of Mexico is off-the-beaten-path. Meal choices maybe not be as extensive as on other Trafalgar vacations and hotel facilities in some towns may be limited. This journey requires walking on uneven surfaces and steps. Occasionally, the itinerary may be subject to delays or variations due to circumstances beyond our control; it is best enjoyed by the experienced traveler in good health who can take such variations in stride.

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The prices shown are U.S. dollars per person, based on double occupancy, and subject to availability. Prices quoted for land/cruise arrangements are subject to increase without notice. Once we have received your deposit, land/cruise prices are guaranteed. Air prices quoted via phone or email are subject to increase and are guaranteed only from the time that full payment is received. Also, air prices or air promotions mentioned on this site or on the phone do not include baggage fees imposed by airlines.

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